Province posts locations and use of P.E.I.'s 288 high capacity wells

The province estimates only 1.4 per cent of available groundwater is used each year

Islanders are able to take a close look at how water is used on P.E.I. and what's being done to protect it with the government's introduction of a draft Water Act. (CBC )

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The province classifies the 288 high capacity wells in the following categories:

Municipal central supply (i.e. cities, towns): 87.

Aquaculture (i.e. fish plants, mussel farms): 62 (mostly salt water).

Industrial/commercial: 48.

Agricultural irrigation: 36.

Heat transfer, fire: 24.

Irrigation other (i.e. golf, soccer): 18.

Private central supply: 13.

High capacity wells are those that draw more than 50 imperial gallons per minute (igpm). That compares to a garden hose, for example, that typically draws 5-10 gallons a minute.

Low capacity ones include about 20,000 residential wells.

Farmers use agricultural irrigation during dry spells in the growing season. (CBC)

The province has posted the approved extraction rate for each high capacity well, but points out that the actual amount used may be less that what's allowed.

According to the province, municipalities use, on average, about 48 per cent of their allowable amount, which is extracted year-round, compared to irrigation wells which use 4.6 per cent of their allowable amount, which is extracted from June to September only.

Even then, the department estimates only 1.4 per cent of available groundwater is used each year overall.

'Water is very valuable'

"We understand that Islanders are keenly interested in knowing how much water is being used," said Bruce Raymond, manager, water and air monitoring section, for the Department of Communities, Land and Environment.

"I think they have a good grasp that water is very valuable, that it shouldn't be squandered, and that there should be undertaken reasonable measures to conserve it and utilize it well. But I don't think they have a good grasp of the total volume of water that is flowing in Prince Edward Island,"

The details come as P.EI. politicians prepare to debate the new draft Water Act in this spring sitting of the legislature. However, MLAs won't be looking at the existing moratorium on high capacity wells for agricultural irrigation — which is capped at 36.

That moratorium will remain in place for another year, until new regulations are developed after the province obtains more scientific data, according to the environment minister. Those regulations will require balancing the calls from the farming community for better access to irrigation with the need to protect the quantity and quality of P.E.I.'s groundwater.

Expansion of metering being considered

In 2004 the province required all existing agricultural wells to be metered, and now requires meters for all new high capacity wells that are issued permits, said Raymond, adding that the irrigation numbers are reported to the province at the end of each season.